On Thursday, Feb. 19, the leading candidates running for the Democratic Party nomination for United States Senator from Illinois will face off in a debate. The debate, hosted by WGN News, will be aired live on WCIA Channel 3, as well as on our website and streaming app. Learn more:

The penny met its death in 2025, with factors like manufacturing cost and lack of appeal, coupled with a life of purgatory in couch cushions and car cupholders outside of circulation, contributing to its demise.

Interstate 55 in Springfield will start seeing closures next week as the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) demolishes a railroad bridge crossing the highway.

DEVELOPING: There is a large police presence in the area of S. Mattis Avenue and W. John Street in Champaign.

The USA figure skating team has only a short time to celebrate earning the team gold before refocusing on individual competitions.

The Paris Dairy Queen will be temporarily closed after a water trailer hit the building on Monday.

Whether you like your pizza with thin or thick crust, topped with pepperoni or polarizing pineapple, Feb. 9 is a day to celebrate the remarkable pie.

David Anderson was born and raised in Central Illinois, and he currently lives in Savoy. He was drafted into the Navy in 1944 when he was just 18 years old. 82 years later, dozens lined up to greet him on his 100th birthday. STORY: Derrick Mitchell VIDEO: Bradley Zimmerman

A 20-year-old and a 21-year-old are facing charges after police said they shot at each other over the weekend. Both suspects and a Decatur Moves van were hit in the exchange of gunfire.

Figure skating is back in the spotlight Monday at the Milan Cortina Olympics, and more Alpine skiing medals are up for grabs, as well. Here is a guide of what to look out for on Day 3:

Illinois lawmakers have introduced legislation that would create a tax credit for small businesses that advertise on local news organizations.

Savannah Guthrie said in a video released Monday that her family is “at an hour of desperation” in the search for the “Today” show host’s missing mother, ahead of Monday evening’s looming ransom deadline set by the purported abductors.

The average price of gas in Illinois is up to $2.99 a gallon as of Monday, February 9, according to GasBuddy.

One person is dead after a car crashed and caught fire in Champaign County on Monday.

A cause of death for comedy legend Catherine O’Hara has been released, according to TMZ and Rolling Stone.

Lindsey Vonn knows the Olympic downhill course better than anyone.

The Urbana Police Department is investigating a retail theft where a man bought a tool for lar less than its actual value. Crime Stoppers is involved in the case in the hopes of getting info that can identify the suspect.

About 20 minutes of body-worn camera video from one of the Providence police officers who responded to the deadly Brown University shooting on Dec. 13 has been released to the public.

The Champaign Unit 4 School District has found its next superintendent.

A record 13 backcountry skiers, climbers and hikers have died in the Italian mountains over the last week, rescuers said Monday, including 10 in avalanches triggered by an exceptionally unstable snowpack, as Winter Olympic competitions got underway.

Two homes in Decatur were rendered uninhabitable by fires that started Sunday night.

Congress is running out of time to avert a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), an effort that is increasingly fraught as bipartisan negotiations fizzle.

Dozens of people formed a line to greet and celebrate a 100-year-old Navy veteran on Sunday.

In one scene during the show, a young boy was sitting on a couch watching Bad Bunny’s recent Grammy acceptance speech. Bad Bunny came over to the boy and handed him a Grammy award, patting him on the head. The tender moment caught people’s attention and drew speculation about its meaning.

On Sunday, people gathered across the country to watch Super Bowl 60. Here in Central Illinois, the Champaign American Legion members came together to watch the Seattle Seahawks play the New England Patriots for the hardware.

The search for Nancy Guthrie has entered its second week as investigators have yet to identify suspects tied to the disappearance of the 84-year-old.

A new proposal in Springfield would require certain Illinois drivers to install speed-limiting technology in their vehicles, creating a statewide program aimed at reducing high-speed crashes and traffic fatalities.

A Virginia man who found a 56-year-old letter written by a man serving in Vietnam has finally gotten it into the hands of the author’s son.

Saturday was National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, and the Sidney Dairy Barn opened up for one day to celebrate after closing for the season in December.

There was plenty to see during Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, including a real wedding.

Center of Hope Church Pastor Dr. Robert Smith said feeding the community is one of their greatest missions.

Ilia Malinin beat Japanese rival Shun Sato in a head-to-head showdown at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Sunday night, helping the U.S. defend its team figure skating gold medal by breaking a deadlock with Japan in the final session of the competition.

The Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois State Police are teaming up to make sure drivers stay safe on Super Bowl Sunday. Their Super Bowl safety campaign will run until 6 a.m. Monday, Feb. 9.

Benito fans everywhere have spent weeks ruminating over which songs Bad Bunny would choose to play and who, if anyone, he would bring out during his Super Bowl LX halftime show in Santa Clara.

The search for Savannah Guthrie’s mother hit the one-week mark on Sunday.

School in one Christian County district will be held online on Monday, due to the high number of student and staff absences.

No matter who wins at Super Bowl LX on Sunday, all the players can expect a pretty nice paycheck after the game clock expires.

Peoria County Sheriff’s Deputy Jack Evans has been released from the hospital a week after being shot during a traffic stop.

Aside from fancy timepieces and the occasional film franchise, Roman numerals are rarely used over Arabic numbers in modern American culture.

BREAKING: The Decatur Police Department is investigating after a man was shot Sunday afternoon.

After attendance at the elementary and junior high school dropped to around 50%, one Champaign County school district is implementing “enhanced cleaning protocols” and encouraging students showing signs of illness to stay home.

Lindsey Vonn is stable after a frightening crash that caused her to be rescued by helicopter on Sunday, just moments after leaving the starting gate in pursuit of her second Olympic downhill gold medal.

One firefighter was taken to the hospital after battling a barn fire in Springfield on Saturday.

Winning the headlines during free agency in March doesn’t typically lead to success in January and February in the NFL.

Two months ago, WCIA reported the Good Samaritan Inn, a soup kitchen in Decatur, needed donations to stay afloat. Now, they have recently received major help, and it was from the community.

You could purchase a treasured Oregon waterfall. But ownership will require some upkeep.

In Decatur, one program says it needs your help, or it may have to close its doors permanently.

Attorneys for the federal government have until next Thursday to reach an agreement with human rights lawyers who are seeking to ensure the right to counsel for people detained at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Minnesota, a judge said.

Vermilion County’s biggest city has a new business in their downtown district, and economic leaders said they’re adding several more in the coming months.

Barring a massive outage like Verizon customers experienced recently, it can be easy to set up automatic payments and forget about the company behind one’s wireless plan.